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COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Former Archbishop Wood Standout Ryanne Allen Proud to be Part of the Rebuilding Process at Vanderbilt

By Donald Hunt, 03/06/23, 12:00PM EST

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BY DONALD HUNT

Ryanne Allen seems to have made a solid impact on Vanderbilt University’s basketball team in her first season. Allen, a former Archbishop Wood star, averaged 6.4 points and 2.5 rebounds a game for the Commodores. She has been named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week twice this season.

“Coming here as a freshman, I knew I had to play whatever role I could to help the team succeed with the injuries that we had,” Allen said. “I definitely had a bigger role this year than expected just being able to play my game with our team and to help them succeed, but getting those accolades is just an extra bonus.”

Allen, a 6-1 guard, was an outstanding player in the famed Philadelphia Catholic League. Voted the leagues’ Most Valuable Player, Allen finished with 1,418 career points, the second most in her high school’s history.

She averaged 15.3 points and 3.3 rebounds a game. Allen was a key member of Archbishop Wood’s 2021 PIAA state championship team. She was recruited nationally by several Division I schools. However, she felt Vanderbilt was the right fit.

“Coach [Shea] Ralph [Vanderbilt head coach] and the coaching staff here I like their vision and what they were going to do at Vanderbilt,” Allen said. “I wanted to be a part of a rebuild and help to put the team on the map.

“Aside from that, Vanderbilt offers an incredible education and Nashville is a city that’s pretty cool. It’s the best of both worlds. Nashville is a city but doesn’t feel like you’re in a city. There are some good places. The education is amazing. I’m loving basketball. I couldn’t ask for more than that.”

Vanderbilt (12-19 overall, 3-13 league) recently dropped a 77-70 decision to Texas A&M in the opening round of the SEC tournament. Allen scored nine points and grabbed two rebounds in the loss to the Aggies.

Allen has been following Archbishop Wood’s basketball team throughout the season. She stays in contact with the coaches and her former teammates.


Former Archbishop Wood standout and Vanderbuilt point guard Ryanne Allen scored more than 14 hundred points in high school career. (Photo/ Donna Eckert for PSD)


Point guard Ryanne Allen making her mark on the hardwood for Vanderbuilt. (Photo/ Vanderbuilt Athletics)

“I check up on them on social media,” Allen said. “Coach Mike (McDonald, Archbishop Wood head coach) I text him every now and then to see how they’re doing. I still have some friends on the team. They were a big part of my basketball career. I always keep in touch.”